The Affairs of Kings II
by darkladywolf
Summary: Things were supposed to be good but after an assassination attempt on Sakura, things will never be the same again. Queen Cersei could have never chosen a more dangerous opponent...
1. Chapter 1

"I want her dead!"

"Relax Cersei. I don't see why you care so much about this girl."

The queen pierced him with her stare as she continued to pace in the dimly lit room, where Jamie and herself were currently in.

"You don't understand Jamie! That is no ordinary girl! She's going to cause us trouble; I'm sure of it! She managed to save that Stark brat. How did she even do that? How did she manage to catch him? He fell from so high above….a man grown wouldn't have been able to catch the kid, yet she did. How do you explain that?"

"She was just lucky" Jamie Lannister said shrugged, not really understanding what the big deal with this outlander was. She was just a youngling, nothing more; not much of a threat really.

"You know as well as I do that's not the case. That boy saw us! And he is alive because of that girl. What if he tells anyone?"

"Obviously, he hasn't told anyone yet or else we would have known. The boy might be a problem but I insist that the girl is just a waste of time."

"I remember the way she looked at us" said Cersei "She was accessing us, Jamie. And she obviously didn't think we were worth her time; nothing to be afraid of. I am the Queen yet she didn't bow before me and she didn't even spare a glance at you even though you're a renowned warrior."

"Come on, Cersei. A child's defiance is nothing to be worried about."

"That is no mere child. She has power, Jamie; I know it. I can recognize a powerful woman when I see one and her whole posture screams of power. There is something strange about her. No one knows where she came from or how. They said Lord Stark and his sons found her unconscious under the snow. But other than that there's nothing else. No hometown, no family name, nothing."

Jamie looked thoughtful as he stared at his sister "If what you're saying is indeed true, how is it that Lord Eddard allowed her to stay in Winterfell?"

"That I don't know. He would either have to be a fool or reckless and we both know that he is neither. There is a reason why he keeps her close."

"He probably wants to keep an eye or her, Cersei. Despite having saved his son's life, she still remains an outlander."

"If only you had seen the way she looked at me. As If I weren't the Queen. Yet she bowed before that Tully woman, Strak's wife. She is challenging me, Jamie. And we still don't know what she's capable of. And her appearance….I have never seen anyone with that hair color or so vibrant green eyes. Not even the people Across the Sea have such unique features. Also, the way she dresses…..She wears men's clothes most of the time and she carries that strange pouch with her."

"I see you have taken quite the interest in the girl. How did you learn all this?"

"I ordered a couple of our guards to keep an eye on her in secret and follow her around to see what she was up to; didn't last long. After a couple of hours they lost her. They came back to me with little to nothing and only a strange looking knife; they said it had come out of nowhere."

Cersei looked around to make sure that they were indeed alone. One could never be sure. It was safer talking out in the open than inside the castle's walls. There were ears everywhere; Ears that were ready to spill what they had heard for the right price. She put her hands in the waistband of her dress and pulled something out. The light of the many candles around them reflected on the shining metal as the Queen held the kunai in her hands.

Jamie Lannister approached her and took the knife from her hands. It was peculiar indeed. He had never seen anything like that before, in this Kingdom at least, even though he was sure none of the Lyseni merchants he had associated with had showed him anything like this. The shape of the small blade was strange and he couldn't understand what purpose the ring at the end of the handle served.

"The guards said that this came out of nowhere?" he said thoughtfully as he accessed the dagger. This new development changed everything. Maybe the girl wasn't as harmless as he had first thought. She was carrying weapons that she could most likely use and had escaped their guards easily without them noticing. But she was a mere child! How was it possible that she had escaped two fully-trained Lannister guards so easily?

"Yes, they said they were near the castle walls when they heard the air whistling and found this knife logged in the ground mere inches from their feet. They looked around but found nothing. The girl had just disappeared." Cersei answered and a frown appeared on her face. This outlander was beginning to be a real nuisance, like an annoying bug buzzing around her head. But while the bug she could kill, this girl seemed to slip through her fingers like water.

"Are you sure that they weren't drunk?"

"Those were Lannister guards, Jamie; guards who were trained by you. Supposedly perfectly capable of carrying out any task. As it turned out, they were unable to keep track of a mere female child."

Jamie paced around in the room still holding the peculiar knife, lost in thought. If what Cersei was saying was indeed true then they had a real problem in their hands. A Kingslayer he was but he was no fool. The blonde man was a seasoned warrior and had fought and won many battles in his life. He could read the signs. This was not just a knife. This was a challenge. The girl was warning them. She knew that Cersei had instructed guards to watch her and she was clearly telling them that she was aware and most importantly, not afraid. The dagger had 'threat' written all over it. But who would have the right mind to threaten the Queen of the Realm? Either a fool or someone who had power. And judging by the way the girl had so effortlessly evaded their guards, she was neither a fool nor weak. This was no mere child's defiance. This youngling was daring them to make a move. An open invitation to war it was if you knew to read the signs. And she was also in Stark hands. Who knew what kind of abilities she had and how the Starks would use her. And now Eddard Stark was the King's Hand. He had inside information and the power to keep even his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, at bay.

This new development was, to say the least, disturbing and wouldn't serve their plans. They had to find a solution before things got out of hand. Cersei was clearly concerned and Jamie knew better than to not trust her. Her instinct was rarely wrong and he was also starting to feel unnerved by this girl, whoever she really was. The though alone was disturbing. To think that he would be wary of a girl! Great men had not managed to make him doubt himself but here he was feeling unsure because of a female child. He cursed himself for not paying closer attention to her. He should have been more careful. But who could blame him? Why would he, a renowned warrior, care about what a female child was up to? It was not worth the effort and certainly not in his interests to stalk young girls just because they were a bit stranger than the others. As it had turned out though, this girl was not only an outlander; she was also proving to be quite dangerous. Who knew what kind of tricks she had up her sleeve if she had the guts to threaten the Queen? She had to be taken care of.

"What is the girl's name?" he asked Cersei before giving her the knife back.

"Sakura" the Queen spat as if it was venom on her tongue and hid the kunai in her waistband once more "Even the mere mention of her name makes me angry."

"Relax Cersei. Anger will get you nowhere."

"I want you to take care of this Jamie. I want her to disappear and never be heard of again. Do whatever it takes. I want this girl out of the way!"

"I'll take care of it, I promise" he said and gathered her in his arms "Soon, they won't even remember she even existed."

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Are you sure about this Jon?"

"Relax Sakura. She is not going to kill you, you know."

"But I've never done this before. In my homeland it's almost non-existent!"

"There is a first time for everything. Now follow my advice and everything is going to be fine."

"If I break a bone it's gonna be your fault! And just so you know, broken bones are a bitch to heal!"

"Stop complaining. Where is the tough ninja-Sakura?"

"Flew out the window! Why can't I just use chakra? It is going to make this much easier!"

"Because you have to learn properly! Also, you know you cannot use this chakra as you call it here so you must learn to rely less on it. Now stop being a baby and do as I say! Keep your knees tight so you won't fall."

"I hate you, just so you know" grumbled Sakura but did as instructed and tightened her legs around the snow-white mare's belly. Well, she could always use her chakra without Jon knowing but she couldn't do that to him. After all, he was right about her learning to rely less on her chakra in this world.

"Now, keep your heels down and don't pull too hard on the reins. You don't want to hurt her mouth."

Sakura did as she was told and lightly patted the horse's neck when the mare didn't make any sudden movements. "Good girl."

"Now, let's start with the basics. I showed you how to bridle and saddle her up properly so you won't have any problem with that. If you want her to start walking, you give her a light kick at the sides with your heels. Go on, try." Jon urged.

Sakura took a deep breath. She had never ridden a horse before since they were rarely used back in the Ninja Nations and oxen were preferred instead to pull carts and be used for farming. Of course, she had seen horses before and even petted a particularly playful colt while on mission to gather herbs but never ridden one.

'Come on girl! You went against Akatsuki and Madara and came out alive! Riding a horse can't be that difficult!'

Hesitantly, she gave a light kick to her mare's sides and almost squeaked when the horse started walking slowly. Her stride was sure and smooth and Sakura felt as if she was actually floating.

Jon smiled at her and nodded his head in approval. "That's it Sakura. Take it slow. You're doing great, Remember, keep your heels down. Use the reins to change her direction. Try it a few times so you can get the hang of it." he instructed and waited for her to get used to walking and turning before moving on to the next step.

After a few minutes of walking and doing different turns, Sakura started feeling more confident.

'Hey, this isn't so bad after all. It actually feels nice.' she thought as she lightly pulled the reins and the horse turned left. Even though she had little experience with horses she could tell that her mare was exceptionally trained. It was as if the white creature knew that her rider was a beginner and smoothened her strides even more. Even the lightest of pull made her go to the desired direction and not once did she spook even though they could hear the loud clang of swords from the training grounds some distance away.

"Now, let's try something else." Jon's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Like what?"

"Usually horses have four basic gaits; the walk, the trot, the canter and the gallop. You have gotten the hang of the first basic steps so we can try the trot. Bring the mare here."

Sakura did as she was told and come to a stop before Jon who lightly patted the horse's nose.

"Now, if you want to make her go into a trot you simply give her another kick at her sides. Keep your legs tight around her so you won't fall off and don't pull too much on the reins because that will confuse her. It would be like giving her the order to run and stop at the same time. Now, go. Give it a try." he said and stepped back to room for her to turn the mare around.

Sakura allowed the horse to walk a bit more and took a deep breath. Almost hesitantly, she pressed her heels a little harder in her mare's sides. Immediately, the pure white creature picked up her speed and went into a trot and Sakura couldn't help the small squeak that escaped her lips. She started bouncing slightly in the saddle and for a moment she was afraid that she was going to fall off. But as it seemed, her mare didn't want her to fall off as much as herself.

"Keep your back straight! Don't try to stop bouncing, Sakura! Allow your lower half to be free and relaxed!" shouted Jon and Sakura fought down the urge to snap up at him that it was easy for him to say and that he should try tree climbing and see how it would go! But she kept her mouth shut and instead concentrated on maintaining her balance. She came close to falling off a couple of times more before she finally allowed herself to relax and got the hang of it. Her body followed the mare's moves and they easily established a rhythmic pace that was comfortable for both of them.

'Wow….I never imagined that it would feel so good!' Sakura thought as she continued trotting around the small field they were in. It was a nice day in its own and the light breeze blowing through her hair served to make a smile light up her face. It resemble running through the trees back home and for a moment she felt homesickness creep into her heart but quickly shook it off. It wasn't the right time to start feeling nostalgic and the gentle sun rays were too good to waste thinking about something that for now was out of her reach.

She decided that she really liked horse riding and noted with no small amount of satisfaction the approving look in Jon's eyes.

Suddenly, the urge to go faster hit her and she grinned at the thought. Maybe she should try it….Trotting was no problem so why would galloping be? She didn't even give a second thought to cantering. As a ninja she was used to speed and she really wanted to see how it would feel when her mare's all four legs were off the ground. Without even asking Jon what she had to do or even warning him about what she intended to do, she gave a sudden kick at her mare's side.

Freedom. That was the only word she could think to describe this feeling. Everything else was just too little. Only freedom could feel this way. They were galloping away from the field and Jon but she couldn't bring herself to care. With the air blowing through her hair wildly and her white mare practically floating over the land, she had never felt freer in all her years. This was so much better than tree climbing! There were no braches to worry about or enemy shinobi lurking behind lush trees, ready to kill her at the first chance given. No; all she could see here were the vast plains of the North and even farther away, the snow-covered mountains with their white peaks reaching for the sky. It was magnificent to say the least and she was sure that she had never seen something so beautiful in her life.

Sakura could feel the horse's muscles moving under her and even hear her breathing as it came out of her nose in small, frosty clouds. It was amazing how her body had gotten used to the horse's movements so fast. Maybe she had a natural talent or maybe it just was that she was a fast learner. Either way, the feeling was incredible and she wouldn't be giving it up anytime soon. It felt as if she was flying!

"Come on girl, let's go back before Jon dies of shock!" she said at the white mare and gently pulled the reins right to turn her around. The horse obediently and without missing her stride or slowing down, followed her rider's instruction and quickly changed her course so they were once more heading to the small clearing where Jon was probably waiting for them with his mouth hanging open. Sakura allowed a giggle to escape her lips at the thought of his expression.

It took them no more than two minutes to reach the clearing. Sakura smirked. She had been right. Jon was indeed staring at them with wide eyes and mouth opening and closing almost comically. Sakura's smirk widened as she stopped the white mare in-front of him.

"Close your mouth, Jon. A fly might get in." she teased and watched as he tried to recompose himself.

"What…..How…...Riding?" Jon managed to choke out as he stared at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Sakura giggled "Come one, Jon. Don't be so surprised. It's not like you saw me walking on water or something!" she commented and smirked at her words. Not even Jon knew the true extent of her abilities; mostly because there was no place secure enough to show him or hard enough to survive her devastating strength.

After a few moments of being the perfect impersonation of a fish, Jon straightened his back and coughed in his fist to get rid of the awkwardness he was feeling. He raised his grey eyes and rested them on the pink-haired woman who was stroking the white horse's neck.

"Are you sure you don't know how to ride?"

"Why? Was I good?" she asked with no small amount of smugness in her voice, mostly to tease the male before her.

Jon fought down the urge to roll his eyes at her wide, smug grin and instead focused on her emerald-green eyes, which were alight with mirth.

"No, I'm just surprised you didn't fall. Are you sure you didn't use that chakra thing?"

Sakura scoffed teasingly and crossed her arms across her chest "Yeah, right! You're just jealous that a beginner girl is better at riding than you!"

"Had it not been for the wonderful creature you're riding, you would have been with your face in the mud right now." he replied and smirked when he saw that her grin was replaced by a frown.

"Hey! Are you saying that I did nothing?"

"You did something; enough to keep you on the saddle but other than that, not much." he replied loving the way she bit her lower lip the way she did every time she was annoyed "Ghost can probably ride better than you."

Sakura glared at him "Get on that horse of yours and I'll show you what I really can do!" she snapped and motioned to where his horse was peacefully grazing what little he could find under the fresh blanket of snow. Jon sighed at her stubbornness and shook his head before mounting his dark brown gelding and coming to a stop on the girl's left.

"Ready?" he asked and saw her nod. Jon smirked as, without a warning, he dashed down the small road that led to Winterfell. He looked over his shoulder enough to shout "Set, go!" and see the snarl on her face.

"Come back you little piece of crap!" she barked after him and immediately kicked her mare into a gallop.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Good girl" Sakura whispered and patted the mare's neck as she finished brushing her shiny white coat. The young woman ran her fingers through the horse's snowy mane to rid it of any knots and draped a grey blanket over her back to keep her warm. The nights were cold in the North even for the horses who were used to this kind of weather. She tied the chords that held the blanket around her neck and belly and patted her back once more before giving the mare a soft kiss on her warm nose.

Sakura turned to leave but she hadn't taken two steps when she felt something tugging at her cloak. She turned around and smiled affectionately when she saw the white mare reaching for her with her nose. The pink-haired woman moved closer and embraced the horse's neck, burying her face in her thick mane. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the peace that fell around her. She could feel the rise and fall of the horse's breathing and hear her heart beating against her body. It was relaxing and for some strange reason reminded her of home.

"She likes you" a voice broke the silence. Sakura was about to snap at the intruder to get lost but stopped when she saw that it was just Jon. The young woman smiled gently at the horse and scratched her behind her ear.

"I like her, too." she said and giggled when the mare nuzzled her neck.

Jon smiled warmly at the sweet scene playing before his eyes. Sakura was truly one of kind. It really shouldn't have surprised him that he had fallen in love with her in such a short time. It was amazing how one person could be so strong and determined yet so gentle and understanding at the same time.

"Come on, Sakura. Night has fallen and it's late. We should go get some rest." he said after a few minutes of just watching her and waited for her to join him before making his way for the castle.

Sakura started following him but not before giving the beautiful mare another long look.

"Jon?"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Can I come see her again tomorrow?" she asked almost timidly and Jon had to keep back a chuckle at her hopeful expression.

"You remember everything I told about how to take care of her, right?"

"Of course" she replied with confusion written all over her face "But what does that have to do with what I asked?"

"Oh, my dear Sakura, it does. After all, a rider must know how to take care of their horse." he said and watched amused the way realization hit her and her emerald eyes widened.

"You mean…?"

"Yes Sakura. That mare is yours."

Without wasting a second, Sakura flung her arms around his neck and hugged him closer to her body all the while chanting "thank you" over and over again. Jon brought his arms around her waist returning the hug and buried his nose in her rosy hair breathing in her sweet smell.

Sakura pulled away and looked up at him. "But how…..Where did you find her?"

"Hullen, the previous Master of Horse, entrusted her to me before his departure with my father for King's Landing. He said that she is one of the most talented horses he has ever trained. Only two and a half years old and she already has completed her training. She is strong enough to be ridden into battle but she was not born for the rough hands of a man. This mare's reins need the gentle touch of a woman's fingers" he finished and intertwined their hands.

"Oh Jon! She is so beautiful! I don't know what to say!"

"Don't say anything to me. For now, I would suggest finding a name for your horse."

"You mean she doesn't have one already?"

"Most horses are given their names after a rider has been chosen for them."

Sakura nodded never taking her eyes off the beautiful horse.

"So, what are you going to name her?"

Sakura stared at the delicate mare. Under the moonlight her mane seemed like liquid silver and it was as if she was emitting a soft glow. Clever, warm eyes stared back at her and emerald clashed with ice-blue. In the night she could have easily been mistaken for a spirit of the wilderness of the northern plains. So beautiful she was that even the moon itself seemed to be less bright.

"Eclipse. Her name is Eclipse."

XxxOxOxOxxX

That night, after wishing Jon goodnight and giving him a parting kiss, Sakura chose to bypass the usual quick patrol she did around Winterfell to ensure everything was in line. After all, the North was wild and after Bran's 'slip' something had her senses on edge. She couldn't shake the image of something crimson flashing a second before Bran started falling. She inwardly cursed herself for not being so observant but no one could really blame her. She was more focused on saving Bran than anything else. But now that she had the time to think over the situation, it was surprisingly clear. She had only seen it in the corner of her eye but she was positive that it was no forgotten banner or old curtain. After all, she couldn't remember ever seeing anything that was even close to being that shade of crimson in Winterfell. She had her suspicions, of course.

Her mind immediately flew to flowing crimson and a golden, roaring lion. Scratch suspicion. She was certain that those damned Lannisters were behind it. What she had seen matched the red banner of House Lannister perfectly and the 'accident' had taken place during their stay in Winterfell. Now that she thought better about it, while she had passed King Robert and Lord Stark, she hadn't seen Queen Cersei and that brother of hers, the Kingslayer. Of course she couldn't accuse them openly. She certainly didn't find appealing the idea of being accused for treason and very much liked her head intact, thank you very much.

Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her or it was the fact that she was cautious by nature (sometimes too cautious), but she couldn't shake the feeling that that woman, Cersei, had something to do with this. Yes, just a feeling wasn't much proof and it was common knowledge that Sakura had a deep loathing for the Queen. But both her mentors had taught her to trust her instincts, and right now every fiber of her being was screaming at her that the deed was done by Lannister hands.

Feeling a headache approaching rapidly, Sakura channeled a small amount of healing chakra to her temples to sooth it. She wouldn't duel on it anymore tonight. It was late and she was really tired. As enjoying and exciting horse riding was, it was tiring and she could feel her muscles protesting being her very first time and all. She could have just used her chakra of course but it was nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't take care of. She wanted to conserve her chakra in case of emergency. Even though she hadn't done any serious fighting these past few months (other than her daily training routine), her experience had taught her that it was a fine line between life and death and that being prepared was essential to keeping your skin safe.

She stepped in her room and quickly shut the door behind her. It was dark inside the spacious chamber but she needed no light. The silver rays of the moon outside her window were enough. After all, ninjas were born to live in the shadows. Silence was their friend and the dark was their home.

She quickly undressed herself and slipped on one of the nightgowns Septa Mordane had given her first night in Winterfell. It was comfortable and soft to the touch so she didn't put up much of a fight; though she still kept the bandages around her chest and lower half. Somehow, she felt insecure without them.

She threw some wood in the hearth to keep the fire going for the rest of the night and closed the window to keep the cold wind out. Without wasting another minute, she slipped underneath the covers and released a satisfied sigh when her head hit the soft pillows. Her emerald eyes closed and soon she was drifting off…..

_LATER IN THE NIGHT…. _

She was aware that she was not alone.

The fire was the only light provided but her heightened shinobi senses could detect even the slightest of changes in the air. She had kept her eyes closed and her breathing even, pretending to be asleep but she could _feel_ the shifting of the shadows and hear the soft breathing of someone she had not invited in her room. Whoever this person was, they were quite good in staying silent. Had it been anyone else in her place, they wouldn't have even noticed anything. But Sakura was by far better and had taken notice of the intruder the moment their feet had hit the roof above her head. She was a light sleeper by nature and her years as a shinobi had taught her to always be on the lookout for any potential threat; even when asleep.

The intruder was coming closer. She could hear the soft tap of their boots on the stone floor. She shifted her position to get a better grip on the hilt of the kunai she always had under her pillow, making it seem as if she was just moving in her sleep. She heard the footsteps halted for a minute. But she still didn't give any indication that she was aware. A shadow fell upon her and through half-lidded eyes she saw the glint of a blade as the light of the fire fell on it. She couldn't see the face of this person but he was definitely a male. He was too board of shoulder to be a woman.

The unknown man positioned the shiny blade above her clearly aiming for her neck, an instant and silent kill and brought the dagger down. He hadn't expected her to react.

Faster than the eye could see, Sakura brought her kunai up and blocked the upcoming blade before shoving the man away from her using her inhuman strength. He flew back and hit the stone wall with a loud thud. Sakura shot up from the bed but so did he and in a couple of seconds he was on his feet, once again aiming for her. By the way he was moving he wasn't much trained in hand-to-hand combat; probably meant to do the dirtier deeds that required infiltrating skills and cunning. She smirked. That was a game she could play too. There was no man or woman, alive or dead, that could surpass her in cunning.

The man, in an attempt to stab her stomach, raised his arms a bit too soon, leaving an opening for her. Her kick caught him on the stomach and once more sent him against the wall. He got up with more difficulty than the previous time but still very much alive. It would be so easy to just slit his throat and go back to sleep. But questions were eating at her; questions that this man wouldn't be able to answer if he was dead.

In a desperate attempt to accomplish his mission he threw the dagger at her but she deflected it without as much as blinking. Faster than his eyes could detect she was by his side with her own blade poised at his jugular.

Steely emerald eyes stared in brown and Sakura could see fear swimming in them. Good…

"Who sent you?" she asked and pressed her kunai more against his neck.

He didn't answer. The part of his face above his mouth was covered by a black mask with only his eyes visible.

"I'll ask once more, who sent you to kill me?"

Again, no answer.

Sakura sighed frustrated. It could never be easy, could it? She didn't particularly enjoy torturing people (even though she could name a few individuals that she wished she could get her hands on), despite having taken the classes that were required from every ANBU member.

"Look" she said giving him another chance to save himself much pain "We can do this the easy or the hard way. I don't like torturing people but with you I just might make an exception."

He only spat at her in answer. Sakura felt her control begin to slip and she was sure that she would have just delivered the killing blow had it not been for the Winterfell guards and Lord Eddard bursting through the door.

Now, Lord Eddard had seen many things in his life. He had fought many battles, seen Kings rise and fall, and even felt the cold of the Wall and smelt the sea of the Iron Islands. What he had never expected to see was a sixteen year old girl in sleeping clothes holding a very sharp and pointy blade at an uncomfortably close distance to a full-grown man's neck.

Judging by the expressions on his guards' faces, they hadn't been expecting that either.

"Sakura" he spoke gently but surely "What is going on here?"

Without leaving the trapped man from her eyes she answered "Apparently someone either wants me dead or wants one of you dead and this is just a very bad assassin who mixed up the rooms." She already knew the answer to that, though. That blade had been for her and only her. That dagger had her name on it and had been meant to be dipped in her blood.

'Too bad' she thought 'I am not dying tonight or anytime soon'

"He came into your room? How?"

"Probably the window"

"If this is an assassin, how is it that you are the one holding the blade?"

This time Sakura turned to look at them, the fire in her never faltering. Lord Eddard and his guards didn't know much about this girl but they knew enough to not question her when she had that look in her eyes.

"I am always prepared for everything" she said coldly and the men around her knew better than to ask more.

"Who would want-" The guard didn't get to finish his sentence as the unknown man started letting out strange grunts and groans before he went completely still. Sakura's eyes widened and she quickly pulled the mask off. It was not a pretty sight.

The man's eyes face was and an ugly dark purple color with occasional black splotches and there was blood coming out of his mouth, his nose and even his eyes were bleeding. His whole face and neck was abnormally swollen and he reeked of something that Sakura was very familiar with.

"W-What it that?" one of the guards said shaken.

"Go fetch Maester Luwin" Lord Eddard ordered and the guard was more than willing to follow the command. The Lord of Winterfell turned his attention back to Sakura.

"Your face tells me that you know what happened to this man."

"Indeed, my Lord. I know."

The men looked surprised and with no small amount of disgust on their faces as the pink-haired girl placed two fingers inside the-now dead- man's mouth.

Sakura knew what had happened and only needed to be certain. After all, she had come upon situations such as this one many times back home, especially on interrogation missions. She pulled her fingers out after a short search in the man's mouth. They were covered in blood and at first the only color she could see was red. But as she brought her hand closer to her face, she could make out small pieces of green on her finger tips. Sakura allowed a smirk of triumph to grace her lips but it was short lived. Whoever this person was, who had ordered the assassin to kill her, had gone to extreme measures to keep their identity a secret.

"I suspect you have found something my Lady."

"Indeed, my Lord. I have." she replied and showed him the green substance.

"What is this?" a guard asked.

Sakura fought the urge to roll her eyes. Seriously, this people didn't even know their own plants.

"This is-or was- a pill made of a special plant that grows mainly in rocky terrains. It isn't potable as once chewed it releases strong toxins that cause respiratory tract constriction and suffocation. It is mostly used for situations such as this; assassinations and infiltrating missions. They keep this pill under their tongue and if the mission fails or the assassin gets caught, one small bite causes the toxins to activate. It is not only an almost silent and rather quick method but it is also very efficient as it causes deformation and the assassin cannot be identified." she finished as the guards' eyes widened in amazement.

"Which means that we won't have any luck trying to find out who sent this man." Eddard Stark said and looked at his guards "Gather the body and take it to Maester Luwin. He might find more clues."

Three guards rushed forwarded and scooped the body before hurrying out the door to follow their Lord's command. Lord Eddard and four more guards remained in the room.

"My Lady, the night was eventful and I know that you need your rest, but may I suggest that some guards are positioned outside your door for safety?"

"I am grateful for your concern my Lord and I thank you for your suggestion but it won't be needed. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and I highly doubt that they will attempt a second assassination on the same night. Especially after this one failed."

Lord Eddard was skeptic at first and seriously contemplated ignoring the girl and stationing guards either way. But he had no reason to doubt her and he had already seen how capable she was of ensuring her own safety if tonight events were any indication. After all she was right. Only a fool would attempt a second assassination after a failed one on the same night. At last he sighed and relaxed his tense shoulder.

"As you wish my Lady. Rest the remainder of the night and we shall speak more about this once the Sun is up."

Soon Sakura stood alone in her room. When she was sure that she was alone and no one was outside her door, she went and picked up the dagger from where it had landed after she deflected it with her kunai.

It was an impressive blade, to say the least. The hilt was golden with elaborate carvings and embodied with crimson rubies and some deep purple amethysts. The blade itself was magnificent. It was harder than any steel she had ever touched and yet, at the same time, flexible and light as a feather. The steel was as clear as water and sharper than any kunai or shuriken. It was probably sharper than her katana. She touched the tip of the blade to her finger. She hadn't even pressed the blade but there was already a thin line of blood running down her finger. She could only imagine how it would be if she put strength behind it. Whoever had forged this was extremely talented and gifted; even more so than the blacksmiths back home.

Her head shot up when she heard light footsteps approaching but relaxed a second later. She could recognize that gentle, rhythmic stride anywhere.

_3….._

_2….._

_1….._

The door open and closed quickly but silently and not a couple of seconds later she found herself in a pair of strong arms that were hugging her tight against a warm body. Sakura turned around and returned the embrace, burying her nose in his chest. She knew that he would come and she had been expecting him. The young woman knew that he wouldn't be able to come right away. People already saw how much time they spent together and for now only thought that the bastard son had found a friend in the strange outlander. But for him to rush in her room while in the presence of his father and the guards….It would be too suspicious and they didn't want to risk it; they weren't _ready_ to risk it.

"I was so worried Sakura" she heard him whisper "I feared that something bad had happened to you."

She looked up at him and smiled "Come on Jon. You should know better than anyone that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have fought against the strongest group of criminals back in my land and I was the first one to actually kill one of them. This guy didn't stand a chance."

"Still… That doesn't mean that I can't be worried."

"Well, don't be. I am fine and the assassin is dead."

"Did you kill him?" he asked. Sakura understood that Jon didn't like the idea of killing people but she greatly appreciated that he understood her and accepted her life as a shinobi.

"No, I didn't. Something else did before me." she replied and proceeded to explain what she had told his father. "The assassin also left this behind."

Jon's eyes widened when they fell upon the blade "Where did you find this?"

"In a desperate attempt to kill me, the assassin threw it at me. I've been handling blades all my life but never have I come upon one such as this."

"And I am not surprised" Jon said and carefully took the blade from her hands "This isn't a common dagger. This is made of Vallyrian steel. You'll never find a finer blade. Whoever sent that assassin after you didn't just want to kill you. They also wanted to scar you beyond recognition."

Sakura heard the way he gritted his teeth and saw his fist clench around the hilt. Gently she pried his fingers open and took the blade from his hand before placing it on the bed.

"Well, it didn't happen, did it?"

"But it could have happened! You could have been dead!"

Sakura frowned "Your trust in me renders me speechless."

"Please Sakura. You know how much faith I have in you and your abilities. But I can't help but be scared. Scared that something will happen to you and I won't be there to help you."

She placed her hands on his cheeks and he leaned in to her touch. "I know you're worried Jon but please, trust me. I know how to take care of myself. I've been doing it my whole life."

"But what if it happens again? What if they sent another assassin?"

"I took care of this one, didn't I? What stops me from doing it again?"

"But you are only human!"

"Yes, I am. I am human and I have people to love. And I am going to protect the ones dear to me no matter what the cost."

Jon's eyes hardened "I want to find whoever did this. I want to find them and make them suffer." She had never heard Jon sound so…threatening.

"And you will get your chance. I can promise you that. I'll personally make sure of it. The moment they dared harm Bran, they sighed their deaths."

"Bran?"

"Don't tell me you don't have your suspicions Jon. Whoever did this is behind Bran's 'accident' as well."

"You can't openly accuse them Sakura. Not the Queen. They'll tear you apart before you even manage to blink."

"So you suspect her too, huh?"

"I don't know why but I have a feeling that she has to do something will all these. I wish I hadn't though. She is the most dangerous opponent you could have asked for. She holds power Sakura; enough power to crash us."

Sakura smirked "She might be but I can assure you that I am far more dangerous. And she just happened to play her cards wrong in a game that I've been playing all my life. She can threaten me all she wants. I am not scared. Not many things scare me anymore. But the attempt on Bran's life was the last drop. You want to fight me? Then do it. But touch the people that I love and I'll make you wish you were never born."

"Please remind to never be on the receiving end of your wrath" he said and chuckled before kissing her neck softly.

Sakura giggled and snaked her arms around his neck "I can't promise you anything!"

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's presence.

"You're playing a dangerous game Sakura."

The pink haired woman gave him a soft kiss before staring in his grey eyes.

"I _will_ get to the bottom Jon. Not just for me, but for little Brandon. I will bring down the whole of King's Landing if I have to. Whoever did this _will _pay. With their lives. And let them try to stop me!"

And by the feral smirk on her face, Jon knew…She would keep her promise. Queen Cersei never stood a chance….

**The End (for now)**

**So, this is the second part of the series "The Affairs of Kings" and I am quite pleased with how it turned out even though there isn't much action. But I promise that things will become more complicated from now on. As you have probably guessed I hold a deep loathing for the Lannisters (apart from Tyrion, of course!). Especially Queen Cersei! What I wouldn't give to have her right now in front of me so I can shove that crown down her throat and feed her to a pack of raging raccoons and- Errrr….Yeah! Sorry about that! Moving on! I hope you liked the chapter! Tell me what you think! READ AND REVIEW! Lots of love! **


	2. Chapter 2

"No! I refuse to allow this! He can't do this to me!"

"Lady Stark, please calm down." said Maester Luwin in a vain attempt to calm the panicking wife of Eddard Stark.

"Don't tell me to calm down! He wants me to sell my daughters to the Lannisters!" the distressed lady shouted and tightened her fist around the letter that Lord Eddard had sent from King's Landing.

"My Lady, Lord Eddard only wants what's best for your daughters."

"Only a mother knows what's best for her children, Maester." she said as she paced in her chambers with a wild and unforgiving look in her eyes "What was he thinking? Sansa's is only thirteen! She hasn't come of age to be wed yet!"

"Lady Sansa will not marry Prince Joffrey right away. She will first live in court for sometime before becoming the prince's wife."

"And what about Arya? Why does he want me to send her too?"

"Lady Arya is young and wild. She will learn the ways of the court and how to behave like a proper lady. Lord Eddard might even find a suitable young lord for her to marry once she comes of age. She will get good education and will get to know the life of the Capital."

As Maester Luwin's words started to sink in, Lady Catelyn's anger and frustration started to evaporate. She could see that he was right. But she hated to admit it. She just couldn't let her daughters go like that. It seemed like yesterday that she had held them in her arms for the first time; that she had fed them milk from her breast and seen them take their very first steps. But Ned's letter was clear. They were both to travel to King's Landing to live in court. It was the King's order that Sansa would be wed to his eldest son, Prince Joffrey, and Arya would learn the ways of royalty. No matter how much she wanted to refuse, to throw the letter into the fire and forget she had even read it, she knew that the decision had already been made. She could not refuse the King and her husband was the King's Hand. What the King commands the Hand does.

Suddenly feeling weak, she sat on the bed with the letter still in her hand.

"Why? Why does it have to be my daughters?" she whispered trying to hold back tears that were threatening to fall.

Maester Luwin sighed deeply and sat beside the distressed Lady before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew how she was feeling. He truly did. He had delivered the Stark children himself and not a day had passed since that he didn't speak with them. He was the one to tend their wounds and give them medicine when they were sick. In a way, he could say that they were his own children as well. But the North was wild and cold and untamed. Robb was the heir to Winterfell. The boys, Brandon and small Rickon, would someday become knights or be wed to daughters of lords and the girls would marry a lord and live the rest of their lives raising their children in a castle. But this was the opportunity for Sansa to become the Queen of Westeros and for Arya to marry a high lord of the King's circle maybe even a prince. They were the King's orders after all and they could not ignore them.

"Do not feel sad my Lady. Your daughters are just starting to follow their own way. It might be leading away from Winterfell but it also is the journey of their lives. It is time for them to follow their own path. One day, you'll see one of your daughters wearing the crown of the Queen; maybe even both."

"But Maester, they are so young. They have never traveled outside Winterfell and it is a long way from here to King's Landing."

"Fear not my Lady, for the best of our guards will see that they reach the Capital safely."

"Make no mistake, Maester Luwin. The road is the least of my worries. It's the destination that scares me."

"But why? King's Landing is the Capital and Lord Eddard is the Hand of the King. Both girls will be treated as princesses and guarded day and night."

"Yes, but they will be surrounded by those golden-haired Lannisters. And one of my daughters is going to be sold to one. I saw the way Sansa was looking at the young Prince Joffrey during their visit and I have no doubt that she will be thrilled to learn that she will marry him. But that's the only thing there is to it. They are going to keep the girls in golden cages, in feasts and blooming gardens, in silk and gold and roses. But what of the North?"

Maester Luwin understood her fears. After all, the girls were still young and gold and jewelry and feasts and tourneys radiate a light that can dazzle any child; especially little girls that dream of palaces and castles and a valiant prince on a proud white steed (though he doubted that that was the case with Arya). She feared that they girls would forget; forget their family, their name, their ancestors, the North. And it was a rational fear. A mother's fear that he knew he wouldn't be able to completely put at rest.

"Sansa and Arya are daughters of the North, my Lady. In their veins runs the blood of the ancient Kings of the North and their lullaby is the howl of direwolves. Nothing can ever change what they are. They are Northerners. They may play under the Sun for a while but Winter and Snow will always call them back." the wise man said and gave a light, comforting squeeze to her shoulder.

Lady Catelyn sighed deeply, thankful to the Maester for his support and his reassuring words. It was good to have someone to talk to and she knew that the old man would always be a shoulder to lean on and a kind listener and counselor. She knew that he was right; deep down she knew it. But knowing and accepting are many leagues apart and the fear that had settled in her stomach the moment she read Ned's letter had yet to diminish. _Maybe it's only mother's fear. My sweets are finally spreading their wings and they will fly away from me. Maybe that's what scares me most_, she thought. Well, it didn't really matter. The decision had already been made and nothing she said or did would change it.

"Very well" she said and stood up "Maester, inform the girls and help them prepare for their journey. Also, tell Ser Rodrick to pick out our best guards. They will be escorting Sansa and Arya to King's Landing."

"As you wish, my Lady." the man said and stood up to leave with the links of his Maester's chain jingling lightly.

"Oh, and Maester Luwin?"

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Find Sakura for me."

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Now, Arya, hold it a bit higher. Yes, like that. Tighten your grip on the hilt a bit more. It won't do much good if it gets thrown out of your hands."

The young girl was trying hard, Sakura could see. Her pose was slightly off and her feet a bit unsteady but she was devoted and a fast learner and the Haruno had no doubt that she would learn how to hold a kunai properly in no time.

"This knife is weird." the young Stark mused and ran her eyes over the shiny blade in her hands.

"For you maybe. But this knife has saved my life many times in the past and will save it even more in the future, so please pay attention."

Sakura found it amusing how the girl immediately got serious and her muscles tensed ready to face everything the pink-haired woman had in store for her. The young Stark must have noticed the amused glint in her eyes for she glared at her.

"Come on Sakura! Do something! I'm not a kid!"

This time the Haruno couldn't help the fit of laughter that rose to her lips.

"Arya, ten years of age makes _you_ a kid. I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't know; maybe it's too early for you." Sakura said and placed a finger at her chin as if seriously thinking of her not being ready to be trained. The absolute horror on Arya's face was well worth it and Sakura did everything she could to keep herself from laughing her head off.

"But Sakura! You were younger than me when you started going to that Ninja Tutoring!"

"It's Ninja Academy. Arya, your life is nowhere near being like mine. Where I come from its kill or be killed. That's why we are sent to the Academy; to learn how to stay alive."

"Well" the little girl frowned and crossed her arms "I wish I was in your place! I wish I wasn't born a lord's daughter!"

Sakura laughed at her "Believe me Arya when I tell you that you wouldn't want to be in my place. Actually, you are lucky to be who you are."

"No, you are wrong! I can't do things that I like because, as mother and Septa Mordanne say, 'they are not ladylike'. Well, I don't want to be a lady!"

Sakura approached the distressed girl and kneeled in front of her.

"In life everything happens for a reason, Arya. You were born a Stark because this is what you were meant to be. You were born a wolf because it is who you are. There is a reason why the Gods chose you to be the younger daughter of Lord Stark. Heed my words, there are no coincidences in life and you'll play your part before everything is over." And with those cryptic words and a soft smile Sakura stood up and patted the girl on her head.

"I think that's enough for today." Sakura said and gently took the kunai from Arya's hands "We will continue tomorrow. You did well, Arya."

The girl smiled lightly but the older woman could see that she was still a bit confused. Maybe it was a good thing. The pink-haired woman had given the younger girl a reason to sit down and think. Sometimes, a bit deeper thinking could prove incredibly useful.

"Now" the older girl said "Go clean up and get some rest. I might manage to convince Lady Catelyn to allow us to go horse riding later in the day."

The younger Stark's eyes lit up at the mention of horse riding and she eagerly nodded before running off to follow Sakura's advice of cleaning up and getting some much needed rest. The pink-haired woman watched as she ran off and a soft smile touched her lips. Arya was a unique child indeed.

"Lady Sakura!" called a voice from behind her and she turned around to meet whoever it was. She was met with Maester Luwin who was walking quickly towards her, his breathing a bit labored.

"How may I help, Maester?"

"Lady Catelyn requests your presence. She is waiting for you in her private chambers."

The girl raised an eyebrow at that. It wasn't unusual that the Lady of Winterfell would invite her for an evening glass of red wine a small conversation when the men of her family were at the training grounds or attending meetings. After all, after so many years of being surrounded by men, Sakura could guess that their evenings together were much a relief and a breath of fresh air. But this time Lady Stark wanted to speak with her privately and after so many years of being a kunoichi she could easily read the Maester's urgent expression. What exactly was going on?

"Oh, do you happen to know what she could possibly want from me?"

"It's not my place to tell. It would be best if you talked with Lady Stark first. Please, follow me."

Sakura made no comment on the man's cryptic behavior and weird expression and followed him as he made his way through the stony alleys of Winterfell. The closer they got to their destination the more the uneasy feeling in her gut was growing. There was definitely something going on and so far nothing betrayed happy news. Not that there was anything that betrayed ill doings but her instincts had already started whispering in her head that they were walking towards some kind of disaster.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even realize that they had reached Lady Catelyn's private chambers and was broken out of her thoughts when the Measter knocked sharply a couple of times on the door.

"Come in."

Both man and girl walked inside and were immediately engulfed by the warmth of the room coming from the hearth and the hot water running through the walls of Winterfell. The warmth was more than welcome after so many hours of facing the cold and snow of the North.

"Ah, Sakura; I've been expecting you." said Lady Stark with a smile on her face but to Sakura it was empty. She had always been good at reading people and right now the older woman's face, from the dark circles under her eyes and the pale skin to the slumped shoulders and the lack of fire in her usually kind eyes, were screaming at her that something had terribly distressed the Lady.

"My Lady." Sakura said politely and bowed her head in respect. "How may I be of service to you?"

The Lady didn't answer and stared out the window for a couple of minutes before sitting down on her bed. Sakura watched her carefully and her worry only grew. It was more than obvious now from the weak movements and the dragging of her feet that that she was not only physicaly but also emotionally exhausted.

"Come Sakura, sit be me."

The young woman didn't waste a minute and quickly sat down beside the Lady. For a few moments neither spoke until Lady Catelyn broke the silence.

"I know that you haven't been with us for long but Sakura, I can honestly say that you have earned our trust and you have already proved that you are most deserving of it." the older woman started, referring to the incident with Bran, and gently rested her hand on the pink-haired girl's. "You have many times fulfilled whatever obligation you thought you had to us and we will forever be in your dept for saving my Bran's life."

"My Lady, I-"

"Please my child, let me finish."

Sakura quickly apologized for her interruption but as it seemed the Lady paid little mind to that and continued speaking.

"I know that this is not your home as I know that I cannot force you to support us if it is not what you wish. I know that what I am about to ask you might be too much but right now I have feeling that only you can fulfill this mission. I am asking this of you, not as Stark or Tully. Am asking this as a woman and a mother. "

Sakura, now alarmed, stared intently in the woman's blue eyes before nodding, not a word leaving her lips. She couldn't know what the older woman really wanted until she told her but it was obvious that whatever it was, it was of great importance.

"Sakura, I want you to accompany my daughters' to King's Landing."

**TBC**

**Many people commented that it would be easier to read this if it was a chapter-story. That's why I am turning this into a multi-chapter story instead of a series of long one-shots. Obviously, the chapters are going to be shorter than the initial long one-shots but I hope I won't disappoint you. I hope you liked this chapter. A new mission has appeared to challenge Sakura and she is practically walking right inside the lion's den! Tell me your opinion! READ AND REVIEW! **


	3. Chapter 3

"No."

"I'm sorry to tell you, but it's not your decision to make."

"I don't care! I'll personally go to Lady Catelyn if I have to."

"And you will only manage to make things worse."

"Sakura, you are not going to King's Landing."

"Jon, I am going to King's Landing and you better accept it."

"Don't do this! You don't have to!"

"I don't have to, but I want to. Arya and Sansa are dear to me. I'll be damned if I allow anything to happen to them."

"But what about me?"

This time the pink-haired woman dropped her half-way full travel bag on the bed and strode to where he was standing. She gently cupped his cheeks, stroking them with her thumbs and stared deeply into his eyes. She could all his emotions swimming wildly in his pools of grey. Worry, pain, fear…..but most of all, love; a love so deep that made her heart skip a few beats. She smiled sweetly at him.

"You, Jon, are the most precious thing I have in this world or any other. I love you so much that even a second away from you is painful. Please, never doubt my feelings for you. I don't know what I'd do if you did….." Even the mere thought of it was painful.

"Gods Sakura, no!" the young man said and immediately pulled her tightly to him "I would never doubt your love! I know you love me as much as I love you and nothing will ever change that. It's just…."

"Just what?"

"I'm scared….I tremble in fear every time I even think of what might happen to you."

The honesty in his eyes and the tightening of his grip on her almost brought tears to her eyes. This man truly loved her like one else had ever loved another. She had never had anyone care about her so much. Even her sensei had been more focused on the boys of her team to pay her any serious mind. She took pride in the fact that, despite not paying her much attention, she truly loved Kakashi like a father. But if she wanted to be absolutely honest, she still fought to keep herself from reminding him every time he did something that made her temper flare.

"Jon, I'll be honest with you. Lady Catelyn has asked me to accompany the girls in order to protect them. However, that is not the only reason I accepted this mission. I am planning on uncovering the truth; about Bran's accident, about the attempt on my life, about everything."

Jon sighed heavily as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I feared that you would say that." he said and started pacing around the room.

"You know I don't have a choice."

"You do have a choice! A choice to live!" he gritted through his teeth.

"I can't just leave this like that! Someone wants Bran dead because he saw something that he wasn't supposed to see and the same someone tried to kill me too! And we both know who did it, Jon!"

"My father is the Hand of the King. He holds power; enough power to find out who did it."

"You are a clever man, Jon. For how long do you think he is going to hold his position?"

"What do you mean?"

"Open your eyes Jon! You want to think that everything is going to be fine; you want to have hope and I cannot blame you for that .But the truth is that dark clouds are already gathering and soon it's going to rain blood and fire. The White North is going to be painted red."

"So you think it is better if they spill your blood first?"

"It's better than seeing them spill yours!"

Jon's grey eyes widened at her exclamation and for a moment longer he just stood watching as her chest rose and fell rapidly, as if she was trying not to let her tears fall. He could see it clearly…..the anguish in her gaze, the sweat running down her temple and the clenching of her fists.

"Most of all, I want to protect you." Sakura whispered but he was still able to hear her words.

"I can protect myself."

"No Jon, you can't"

"You ask me to have faith in you, yet here you are, openly doubting me."

"You are a capable warrior and you have proved that. But they lack something that you have."

"And what, pray tell, is that?"

"Honor."

"I don't see how that is a bad thing."

"You might think that it's not but at times like these, it is going to stop from doing what it takes. It is going to stop you from being what you have to be."

"And what do I have to be?"

"A ruthless killer. You have to kill without remorse, without mercy."

Jon stood rigid as she said that. In her emerald eyes he could clearly see a steely glint that made him shiver. He had seen that look on her face only once in his time knowing her: the night of the assassination attempt.

"Can you, Sakura? Can you be a ruthless killer?" he said after while with an unreadable look in his eyes. Though Sakura knew what it was. Oh, she knew very well. She had seen it many times in her life to be able to recognize it. She knew that Jon hadn't meant for that look to appear but it was still there. Disgust….Sakura wasn't stupid. She had known from the very beginning that it wouldn't be easy for Jon to accept her for what she was; a kunoichi, a dancer who had Death as her partner. And she still hadn't told him even a tenth of what she had done in her life as a shinobi of Konoha. Sometimes it was better if some truths were kept hidden.

But it would be a terrible lie to say that it didn't hurt. It hurt more than anything, more than any kunai wound, more than any enemy jutsu. She gritted her teeth to keep the tears from falling and clenched her fists so hard that her nails sank in her flesh drawing blood. It was funny really. Back in Konoha she had managed to learn how to control her emotions after years and couldn't have been more proud that she had finally gotten rid of her old weaker self. But here she was…..One look from the man across from her and all the walls she had built around herself were crumbling like a tower of cards.

Her muscles were tense and her head was spinning but she met his gaze straight on with steely and hard eyes.

"I can be far worse."

Jon's eyes widened as it suddenly hit him how his words must have sounded to her. Realizing his mistake, he quickly reached for her and gathered her in his arms. She put up little fight and the man held her firmly against him despite knowing that she could haul him through the wall with the flick of a finger. Upsetting her was the last thing he wanted but apparently he wasn't doing a good enough job at that. It was true that at first he had been shocked and more than little unnerved by what she had told him about her life as a shinobi, as she called it. But that had definitely not been the reason he had fallen in love with her. it was the person he loved and not the profession.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't mean to upset you. I don't care about anything else other than you. They can tear apart the whole of King's Landing and it will mean nothing to me if you are alive and well."

"Oh, Jon! Please believe when I say that this is as hard for me as it is for you. But I can't allow them to complete their plans. Cersei is just the cover of something far bigger. Someone else is hiding behind all these and I have to uncover the truth before it's too late."

"But why does it have to be you? Why can't someone else do it?"

"Your lands have given birth to capable warriors, Jon but they all follow one King or another. It is too easy to lure them in with a bag of gold and the promise of power. I, on the other hand, obey no King. Your wealth means nothing to me and your stone castles cannot stand in my way. Right now, I am probably the most dangerous enemy your Queen has ever faced."

"By going there you are going to get yourself killed."

"I can do nothing from here. I have no power over them if a whole country lies between us."

"You have no power over them either way, Sakura. Cersei is the Queen. "

All previous upset feelings gone, Sakura laughed at that and kissed his nose. She started playing with a curly lock of dark hair and smirked up at him. It was a predatory smirk that made the hair at the back of his neck stand.

"My dear Jon, I don't have to be a queen in order to have power."

"Sakura, all she has to do is flick a finger and your head will be on a spike before you even know it."

She laughed again but there was no mirth behind it; it was almost menacing. It made him wonder just how much he really knew about the woman in his arms.

"Oh, she has power alright; power over swords and shields and spears. I, on the other hand, have power over minds. A person's mind is their most important weapon, but at the same time it is also their greatest weakness. Your blonde Queen is just a little girl playing with toy soldiers and swords. That is false power. Real power is here." she said and pointed at her head. "I will play with her mind. No one has ever won this game against me."

Jon had his eyes on her but he could not see her. His mind was racing, trying to process her words. Who was the real Sakura? Parts of her were being unfolded before him and he was seeing another Sakura. A different woman that had nothing to do with the Sakura that he saw everyday playing with Bran or helping Arya with her training. Was she really that dangerous? _'Yes'_ a voice whispered in his head and something told him that dangerous wasn't a good enough word to describe it. It seemed….inadequate. _'But'_ he thought _'that is one of the things that make her so…wanted.'_ It was the independence and pride in her stride, the fire in her eyes, her strong and at the same time delicate touch that had left him dazed the first time he had met her.

Jon sighed heavily and cupped her cheek "Will I even change your mind?"

"Nope!" Sakura giggled, the atmosphere in the room once more lightening up "Now, let me finish packing." she said and pulled back from his embrace before grabbing her travel pack. She began moving around the room, opening drawers and raising pillows. Jon shook his head and rolled his eyes in mirth when he saw that she was pulling out weapons from all around the room. _'Why I am not surprised?'_ he thought and a small chuckle escaped his lips.

"Jon Snow, I don't know what you find so funny but will you please pass me my gloves?"

The young man chuckled and picked the black, leather gloves up from the bed where Sakura had left them a while ago. He extended his hand and Sakura fully intended to grab them and place them in her weapon's pouch; she was surprised when Jon pulled his hand back and smirked at her.

"Jon, give me my gloves back."

"You want them? Come and get them."

"Don't make me come over there."

"By all means, please do come."

If there was one thing Sakura would never pass up was a challenge.

"That's it! You asked for it!"

Without a warning she pounced on him. What she didn't know was that it was exactly what Jon wanted. Normally, any other person would have tried to cover and brace themselves for the impact. Jon did the exact opposite. With a hidden smile he opened his arms so when Sakura came one him, he secured them around her. The force of the young woman sent them both falling on the bed. Everything going according to plan, Jon didn't waste a second and immediately flipped them over so he was on top of her. It took Sakura a minute to realize that what had happened had been Jon's plan from the very beginning and glared at him with a small pout on her lips.

"I hate you."

"You love me."

Sakura giggled. "I guess I do."

Jon smiled and closed the gap between them. The kiss was slow and sweet at first, pouring all their love for each other in that simple gesture. But as the seconds ticked by and desire grew greater, it became more passionate. Jon began going lower, kissing her neck, leaving a mark or two to show just who she belonged to, even for just the night. He knew that she would heal them in the morning and they would go back to pretending that there was nothing going on between them.

Sakura buried her hands in his hair and threw her head back to give him better access. She allowed a small moan to escape her lips and she tightened her hold on the man's dark hair. Jon planted a soft kiss on her collar bone before reaching once more for her lips.

"Promise me that you'll be careful, Sakura. Promise me!"

"I promise, Jon. I'll come back to you in no time."

He gave her another passionate kiss. This though, his lips also tasted of something else; worry and fear….

"Jon?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Stay with me tonight."

XxxOxOxOxxX

The journey to King's Landing turned out to be easier than she had first anticipated. She had expected the Kingsroad to be far busier and much more dangerous. That's why she had spent the first part of their journey spurring Eclipse ahead of their travel party for safety purposes. The truth was, she had been expecting them to be attacked every minute since the departed from Winterfell. The fact that it had been that quite only served to make her even more alert. It didn't help that she had found the still hot remains of a fire almost half a mile off their trail, parallel to the Kingsroad. It could have been just a coincidence since many people preferred to follow the quite trails of the forest to the busy Kingsroad, but the fire she had found was nowhere near any of the trails and she had long since stopped believing in coincidences. Someone had been ordered to follow them but not attack them.

Sakura had been extra careful after that but had not initiated an attack of her own. It would be better if she lured them in a false sense of security. That way it would be much easier to keep a tab on their unwanted 'travel partner'.

The rest of the way had been quite with no surprises and none of the others ever found out about her findings. It was better that way.

The month it took them to reach King's Landing, at least after the first week and a half, Sakura allowed herself to relax, even a little. It was obvious that they wouldn't be attacked. Whoever was following them or better, whoever had ordered them to be followed was not an immediate threat. It was obvious that it was in their best interests if the travel party from Winterfell reached the Capital safe and sound.

In her life she had learnt that even the best made mistakes when they thought they had the upper hand. So, she pretended that nothing was going on, as if she had never found anything in the woods. And it had worked, as she had expected. Half way through the next week she had discovered for the second time the remains of a fire. But this time their followers were getting bolder. It was much closer than the first and they had also left something else; the torn fabric of a crimson cloak.

Sakura remembered well the flowing crimson that was the cloaks of the Lannister guards. The uneven tearing showed that it had not been left there on purpose and the guard had probably not even noticed. She had obviously overestimated these guys that were following them. Real professionals never made mistakes like these.

After that, it was quite. There had been signs that they were still followed but they were subtle; a broken branch here, half a footprint there…Sakura never really let her guard down and there was always a bushin or two patrolling the area or keeping watch while the party slept.

The young kunoichi's efforts were the reason why they were now standing before the Gates of the Capital almost a week earlier than scheduled, safe and sound with nothing but sore feet.

King's Landing was impressive but not enough to make Sakura act like Sansa who was gapping like a fish. She didn't blame the young girl, really. She guessed it was kind of natural for a girl Sansa's age to be easily impressed by intimidating castles and vast gardens and crown-wearing princes. But she was also kind of worried. For gold and jewels and empty promises could easily blind anyone, especially little girls with big dreams.

Their grey cloaks were a contrast to the golden ones of the City Watch that were all around them. For a moment Sakura had to fight down the urge to take out kunai or her katana. She felt surrounded and her instincts were screaming at her that this was no simple escort guard. After all, why would half the City Watch gather to escort two noble girls and their guards? These people were sizing them up and trying to show their power using their numbers.

A man in a golden cloak and chain armor walked forward and bowed in something that was anything but respect.

"Welcome to King's Landing my ladies. I am Janos Slynt, Head of the City Watch. Please follow me and I shall escort you before His Grace."

There was something about this man that made Sakura think of snakes. There was something slimy and disgusting about him that made the young kunoichi dislike him immediately. She would have to keep an eye on him while she was in the Capital.

The pink-haired woman glanced at the two girls. Sansa was still staring in amazement at everything around her. She made a mental note to have a long chat with the girl sometime later after they settled down. Arya on the other hand was sporting a serious façade and the young woman could say that she was proud of the young Stark. If there was one person that she trusted wouldn't be blinded by gold and promised riches it was Arya.

And now, down to business. The easiest part was over. Her real mission had just begun and would probably be the hardest one. She would soon have to find a map of the city and start moving around. She also had to find out exactly who was serving who. She had to know who the ones that she could consider her allies were. There was a thin line between loyalty and betrayal when a bag of gold pieces was in the middle. It was also of utmost importance that she sat down and had a serious talk with Lord Eddard Stark. He was the Hand of the King but for how much longer she couldn't know. If she wanted to be efficient in protecting his daughters and himself, then she had to know _everything. _

As they walked through the Gates of the great Red Keep, Sakura couldn't help but feel a wave of excitement rush through her. It was common for shinobi to be excited at the possibility of battle but she had always been told that she had an unusually big amount of love for danger and she had a strange thing for attracting it. No wonder she had ended up in this situation. However, she couldn't say that she was complaining. She had always liked complex puzzles and this one was the chance of a lifetime.

She was walking right inside the lion's den…..and she was enjoying every minute of it. A feral smirk touched her lips.

'_Poor Lions! Say hello….to the Dragon…..'_

**TBC**

**Here it is! Things are bound to get interesting now that Sakura has reached King's Landing and Cersei is going to have to face an enemy like no other. Westeros will have to face two Dragon Ladies; one that sits on their backs and one that has The Dragon thrust within her!**

**READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


	4. Chapter 4

Seeing a father reunite with his daughters after so long was a rather moving sight and Sakura thought at first that the moment Eddard Stark gathered Arya and Sansa in his arms for the first time after being away for so long was the biggest reward she could get for making this journey. Her mind was changed though when she noticed Queen Cersei's expression.

The blonde woman was as pale as a ghost and she seemed as If she had seen Death with her own eyes. Her fists were clenched with her finely manicured nails digging in her creamy skin and her shoulders so tense that she seemed as if she was about to break. The blue eyes that her children had inherited were as wide as plates and more importantly, frightened.

Sakura couldn't resist and sent the woman a feral smirk that was meant only for her. She took pleasure in the way the Queen sucked in a breath and the pink-haired woman could swear that she could the frantic beating of the blonde's heart. Even the Kingslayer, the so capable and fearless warrior looked alerted with his eyes flickering between the young woman and his sister. But Sakura didn't pay him much attention. His time would come too but for now, she would deal with Cersei.

Sakura was the last in line and bowed before King Robert respectfully as instructed by Lord Eddard with such grace that she put the supposed ladies to shame. She didn't do the same for Cersei though. That bow was mocking and on purpose. She knew that it was a serious blow to Cersei-being mocked by a girl in front of her court of lords and ladies-and she didn't even glance at the stuck-up prince Joffrey. That kid was even more disgusting than his mother. At least Queen would put up some fight. This brat was simply a spoiled momma's boy who played with toy swords and wore fancy clothes and impressive jewelry.

She could almost hear Cersei gritting her teeth in anger and she couldn't help but let a smirk slip.

'_This is going to be fun…' _

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura rose from her bad as the early sunrays slipped through the window. She threw the covers aside and stretched her muscles before washing her face with cold water. She walked over to the big, stone window and looked at the city below. It was still early but most citizens of the Capital were already awake and the streets were bustling with life. She quickly got dressed in her Wintefell attire but chose to leave the heavy, grey cloak behind. The climate in King's Landing was much different and the temperatures were high. She run a brush through her hair a couple of times and tied her headband that proudly bore the leaf symbol. Even in Winterfell she hadn't taken her headband off. They had asked her why of course but she had just told them that it was important to her. She was a proud kunoichi of Konoha and that headband symbolized exactly that.

Sakura closed the door behind and made sure that Arya and Sansa were still asleep. The Winterfell guards were still positioned outside their doors. Good. It had been Lord Eddard's wise choice to put up guards. It was comforting to know that there was at least someone who had brains and Lord Stark was certainly a clever man. He probably knew that his days as Hand of the King weren't going to last and he was taking precautions. King's Landing wasn't as safe as they wanted to believe and much less the Red Keep. There were spies around every corner that were prepared to do anything for the right price. But now they were going to find themselves at a disadvantage.

'They might be good' Sakura thought with satisfaction 'But I am by far the best'

Sakura ignored the strange looks she was getting and the hushed whispers that followed her path as she walked through the streets. It wasn't everyday that they saw a girl with pink hair wearing Winterfell clothes casually walking their streets.

As she walked around a corner, a flash of gold caught her eyes. A guard of the City Watch? What was he doing hiding in the corners? The young woman had an idea. It could have been a simple coincidence but Sakura was no fool. What city guard, that is supposed to keep the citizens safe and in line, stays hidden in a dark alley that only houses rats? Cersei hadn't wasted any time, huh? So, the City Watch was crossed out of the list of possible allies.

As she walked down the street she passed a building that, judging from the thick red curtains, the men and scantily dressed-almost naked-girls, was a brothel. She knew that she would get good information from here but there was no way she was entering that place yet. If things got especially difficult, then she might but for now she would stay out. She wasn't particularly fond seduction missions-despite being very good at them-even back home, much less here that there were certain standpoints regarding the behavior and life of women. Back home she would have no problem walking inside a brothel if it meant a successful mission. Here was an entirely different story and she wouldn't risk making a bad impression on her first day. She needed these people, at least the ones that were in position to know anything of use, to trust her or at least not be suspicious of her.

"Where to start?" she mumbled under her breath as she played with a kunai in her weapon's pouch. Suddenly her eyes lit up. Without wasting a minute she turned around and began walking towards another stone building that had caught her attention a bit earlier.

The smithy was a building made of dark grey stone that radiated heat. She could hear the clanging of hammer on metal and the light hissing sound of burning metal in water. It was a comforting sound that reminded her of home. She walked inside and was immediately hit by a wave of warmth.

"Welcome, my lady. My name is Tobho Mott. How may I be of service?" a man said and Sakura came face to face with a tall, thin man with a very short, unkempt white beard and an almost bald head. He had a sorry excuse of a smile on his face that he probably wore for every potential costumer. Sakura doubted that he would have been that polite if she had been a nameless girl without the sigil of House Stark on her clothes.

Sakura put a fake smile on her face and said "I'm here at my Master's command. He needs new swords. I would really appreciate it if I could talk to the blacksmith myself. The Hand of the King is very particular about his weapons." It wasn't entirely a lie. After all, she was indeed 'serving' the Starks in a way. But she also knew that there was no way the man was going to allow her to even step inside his smithy if she told him that the weapons were for her.

"Of course, my lady. If you would please wait just a moment…." he said and the young woman had to resist the urge to gag at his sickly sweet politeness. He almost reminded her of a worm or a leech. Slimy and disgusting…..

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, my lady" he said once he returned, but he was not alone. Beside him was a young man with black hair and blue eyes. His body was well built-she guessed it was from working so many hours at the smithy-and the muscles in his arms were pulsing. All in all, he was a pretty handsome young lad.

"This is Gendry. Despite still being an apprentice blacksmith, his hands work steel and metal as if it was silk." said Tobho and patted the lad's back.

'_Seriously, does this man really think that he can fool anyone?' _ Though she didn't doubt the young man's talent and ability, she highly doubted that he got such praise from his master apart from situations like this one that there was a bag of gold in the middle.

"So Gendry" she said and sent the young man a genuine smile "would you be willing to show me your smithy? The weapons my master asked for are very special and he is very particular about them." She knew that it probably sounded strange for a servant of the Hand-or any highborn for that matter-to talk so politely to a mere apprentice blacksmith but Sakura was never one to treat others according to their social standing and she wouldn't start now. A human was a human and respect was something to be earned and not given to those who happened to be born in a 'better' family or bloodline. After all, she wanted to earn these people's trust and treating them like dirt would do anything but that.

"As m' lady commands" said the young man and bowed before leading her inside the smithy where a big anvil and a hammer stood. The heat was almost suffocating and at some point Sakura almost regretted not wearing the lighter clothes of King's Landing. Without wasting a minute, wanting to get out of the uncomfortable heat, she took out a kunai and showed it to the lad.

"This is a strange knife. I have never seen another like this one." said Gendry as he examined the small blade and the handle with the ring at its end.

"Do you think you can make some like this one?"

"Of course, m' lady. Tell me a number and I will make them for you."

"A dozen would be fine, thank you. I'll leave this one here so you will know what to do." Sakura answered and sent the boy a cheerful and sweet smile that made him blush. The young woman took out a small pouch and gave the boy two coins.

Gendry's eyes widened "M' lady, this is too much. I can't accept that."

Sakura's smile widened _'This is an honest man. I have a feeling that this one I can trust. I'll make sure to stop by again.' _

"Please, keep them. Give what you will to your master and keep the rest for yourself. Just don't tell him about it, ok? Consider this a small gift from the Hand." the pink-haired woman said and winked at him making him blush once more before walking outside the smithy. Tobho Mott showered her with compliments and assurances that his was the best smithy in King's Landing but all she gave him was a fake smile and a polite goodbye.

She took a few stray locks of her out of her eyes and looked at the direction of the Red Keep.

'_And now, let's have some fun…' _

XxxOxOxOxxX

'_Seriously, these Lannisters really need to improve their training methods or at least be a little more selective when it comes to their guards. I'm not even trying to be silent!'_ thought Sakura as she watched the two guards standing outside the Queen's chambers. The two men dressed in crimson cloaks with the golden lion sigil seemed bored to death and half asleep. It was an almost comic image with them leaning on their spears for support and their shields hanging loosely on their arms. The young woman rolled her eyes from her place on the ceiling where she was hidden in the shadows. It seemed almost unreal that they had trusted the Queen's safety with these guys.

Sakura's eyes flew around the place, waiting for the right moment to put her plan in action. She needed answers and since she doubted that anyone would be willing to give them, she would be getting them on her own. She was sure that Cersei wouldn't just tell her the easy way and threatening the Queen would be a terrible mistake even for a ninja. No, she had to be a bit sneakier.

Her chance came when a servant girl appeared with a tray of food, meant for the Queen. As the guards opened the double doors and the girl entered the room, so did Sakura and quickly hid in the shadows of the Queen's room. It was time….

XxxOxOxOxxX

Cersei watched outside her window as her son went through his sword training. That was the purpose of a mother, right? To watch over her children like a guardian angel, to keep them safe, to give all they need, to protect them from every threat. Threat…..

Her blue eyes darkened as she thought of the pink-haired girl the Northerners had brought with them to King's Landing; that impious child that dared mock her in front of her court of lords and ladies. The only thing that kept Cersei from ordering her guards to push her head on a spike was that damned Ned Stark and the love her King husband had for him. That girl was different, she knew. That wasn't just a girl of six-and-ten years. They didn't know her hometown, her house, not even from where she had come; they had just found her in the snow. She hadn't asked to return to any home or family; she had just stayed there in Winterfell. Cersei didn't doubt that the girl was smart. After all she had managed to earn the trust of Eddard Stark an in such a short time. But she was becoming a serious problem that had to be dealt with. She had managed to cause problems for them while she was in Winterfell. But now that she was in King's Landing….

A knock on her door broke her out of her thoughts. "Enter."

The wood opened to reveal Jaime Lannister who swiftly entered the room and closed the door behind him. Dressed in his golden armor with his sword strapped to his thigh and his hair disheveled from wind and training, he was truly a splendid sight. Cersei didn't waste a second and immediately threw herself in his arms.

"Jaime" she said lovingly and breathed in his scent. Only he understood her. There was no one else, only Jaime.

"Cersei" he whispered back and started stroking her hair. They stayed like that for a while, not talking and just holding each other finding what comfort they could, before Jaime broke the silence.

"The girl is here."

The Queen broke away from his arms with a frown on her beautiful face. "Why did you have to bring that up?"

"Cersei, she is here, in King's Landing. She is proving to be a bigger problem than we first thought and _she has to be taken care of_."

"You think I didn't try? But she is like water, always slipping through my fingers."

"What about the assassin?"

Cersei gritted her teeth and glared at nothing in particular. "That useless idiot. He went and got himself killed. Not only that, he also managed to warn that girl that she is a target."

"Maybe you should have chosen better. He was obviously an amateur if he got caught and killed by Winterfell guards so easily."

Cersei let out a laugh that held no kindness. "That's where you are wrong. He wasn't executed by the Starks' guards. _She_ killed him, Jaime. That girl managed to kill a trained assassin."

The blond Lannister tightened his grip on the handle of his sword. That was not good. That pink-haired girl had been a problem before but after this…..it was a matter of utmost importance. Even he would have some trouble defeating a trained assassin, yet a mere child had managed not only to kill him but come out of the situation unscathed. How was that even possible? She had more tricks up her sleeve that they had thought…

Seeing his thoughtful gaze and tense muscles, Cersei said "Do you see now how dangerous she is? We must do something! She is in my palace Jaime, in my territory and she is already making claims. I fear not only for my life but for my children too. Our children, Jaime!"

"Keep your voice down, Cersei. Spiders crawl these walls and some of them would be very eager to share a few secrets for the right price." Things were not good and certainly not the way they wanted. If they didn't do something soon, things could get out of hand.

"You have nothing to be afraid of. There is no way she is going to threaten you or the children. That would be an idiotic move and she has proved to be anything but that. No, I'm sure she is going to wait, test the waters before doing anything drastic."

"But when she does? What happens then?"

"We will be prepared. Once she realizes that, it will be too late. Once we get rid of her we will take care of the younger Stark boy."

"We tried once and we failed."

"Only because she was there to save him. Once I'm done with her they won't even remember her name."

Cersei breathed a heavy sigh as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders andrested her head on the man's broad chest. "I'm tired Jaime. I'm really tired. I want this to end, I want everything to end." Her eyelids were growing heavy and all of a sudden a strong desire to sleep overcame her. She could barely stay standing and she leaned on the blond man for support.

"Sshhh…You don't have to worry about anything. I will take care of everything for you." Jaime said gently, led Cersei to her bed and made her lay down on it. "For now rest, sweet sister. Things will get better soon, I promise you."

The only thing Cersei managed to see before sleep overtook her was a white cloak disappearing behind the wooden door…

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura quietly shut the door behind her and still latched to the ceiling, walked away from the Queen's chambers. As she dispelled the genjutsu she had put on Cersei and the guards, she couldn't help the smirk that rose to her lips. It was child's play getting the information she wanted. All she had to do was create an illusion of Jaime Lannister and then make him say what she wanted him to say. Cersei had walked right into her trap.

Sakura had always known that it was her. All she had to do was make sure and now that she was certain that Cersei and the Kingslayer were behind little Bran's accident and the attempt on her life…Let them pray to their God' to protect them….

'_They better find a better way to protect themselves'_ thought Sakura '_For their Gods have no power over me.' _

The game was slowly but surely taking a turn to her favor and now that she knew the truth as it was, there was nothing stopping her from making the culprits taste their own venom. A shame, really. She had always thought that lions were beautiful and proud animals. Too bad she would have to skin some of them. The real game was only now beginning and she was going to be merciless…

**TBC**

**Here it is! Sorry for taking so long to update but to my defense, I was on vacation and my computer was back home! I also had to update another story that I hadn't updated in weeks. So, yeah, sorry but I really couldn't do any differently. So, how do you like the new chapter? I know that Cersei might be a little out of character but I have read the books and she always is more talkative and open when she is with Jaime. I will try to update sooner this time! Thank you for your support and all your wonderful reviews! I hope you liked this chapter and I hope you'll like the ones after! I'm sorry for any mistakes! Feel free to point them out so I can correct them! READ AND REVIEW to tell me your opinion! **

**Lots of love! **


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